3D Printing

[polygonum]

I am currently assembling an Ormerod 2 3D printer at work. It's a fun project - we are not launching into 3D printing services. Not yet... :-)

About three-quarters of the way through the basic assembly.

I've never used one before and, other than the parts of the printer itself, have not even knowingly come into contact with 3D printed parts before. Now I have the opportunity to play with one, it seems not a bad idea to start a 3D printing thread. I know I'd have liked one to re-create a number of small parts for various things around the house!

[Chris Hogg]

They recently e-mailed 3D printer instructions for a spanner up to the International Space Station. Much simpler than sending a real one up by rocket!

[polygonum]

Yep - I smiled when I saw that - I think our printer kit arrived the day the spanner was made. :-)

(When I first saw the story, my astigmatic eyes saw "spammer" and I struggled to understand why they'd want one of them anywhere, least of all on the ISS!)

[Broadback]

I have no idea how a 3D printer can make a spanner strong enough to undo and tighten screws. what is the media it prints? Perhaps someone could point us to a web page that explains it all.

[Dave Liquorice]

There are 3D printers and 3D printers. The domestic ones squirt thermosetting plastic out of nozzle in layers. But there are industrial ones that produce objects in ceramic (of some sort) and I think there are ones about that can produce metal objects. These work with a container full of powder that is then some how fused at points in 3D space.

[Chris Hogg]

Taking down N. Korea's Internet, perhaps?

[Gordon Henderson]

I think the ISS one is a standard "squirt hot plastic and hope it sets fast enough" type. Maybe not "standard", but adapted for space use...

And I've seen a shifting spanner printed on one in the past - the moving bits are held in place with thin "webs" which you break or cut with a scalpel/knife, but they're usable - for e.g. plastic meccano...

And if you can 3D print a "gun" then I imagine you can 3D print a custom spanner - might only be good enough for 1 or 2 uses, but still cheaper than the alternative...

Happy eating too much day :)

Gordon

[Adrian]

I can only imagine the consequences of a spilt container of metallic powder, in zero g, in an environment full of somewhat important electronics...

[Davey]

[Adrian]

Yes, I'd imagine the ISS is a bit echoey...

[Bob Eager]

Eh? What are you correcting?

[Peter Parry]

I have an Ultimaker2 bought for the local Remap group

and a very useful device it is too. Brackets, handles and attachment devices of one sort or another, Raspberry Pi and Arduino mounting plates. It will print working hinges as one piece although that trick isn't of much practical use.

The plastic used is PLA (PolyLacticAcid) or ABS. "Solid" parts are usually a honeycomb internal structure to save plastic, eliminate distortion when cooling yet keep strength.

PLA can also be used to produce parts for in metal using the lost wax casting process, or in this case, lost PLA.

[Davey]

Oops, reading too fast, apologies. And that's before starting the Christmas Day boozing....

[Brian Gaff]

The thing is though, How does one get the data about the part into the system? Is there a 3D scanner as well? Brian

[Brian Gaff]

But what good is a plastic spanner? Brian

[Brian Gaff]

Well I know when they made the parts for a gun, they had to cure the result or else it would not be hard enough for such a job, maybe its the same for spanners.

Brian

[Brian Gaff]

I know that they need to be very careful with things like Toner as well, as that can play havoc with vacuum cleaners and presumably air condigioning filters too. Brian

[polygonum]

There certainly are 3D scanners. However, I suspect that a lot of items are designed in software and that design simply put into a form that a

3D printer can use.

The other week there was a post here about a scanning system which measured big rocks at a quarry, and worked out how best to place them in the structure being built.

[harryagain]

So what was the spanner made out of? Some shit plastic I suppose. WTF is the use of a plastic spanner?

Just a gimmick.

[polygonum]

I have had several plastic spanners - for example, there are at least two radiator bleed valve things, and as part of some kit devices. They work adequately though I certainly prefer good quality metal. The function required might not need particularly high torque but is very awkward without something designed for the job.

While assembling my 3D printer (well, work's), several places I have had to use something to stop a nut spinning as I have tightened up a screw. It really didn't take much force, but without the screw tends to keep turning the nut and not tightening. (Yes - I know that a very sharp turn of the screwdriver can sometimes achieve that initial start to tightening after which friction is often enough.)